“Church Releases Statement on Hurricane Irma”   ***   Interesting articles in yesterday’s edition — I’m a bit behind — of the Wall Street Journal, one of the world’s greatest newspapers.  I know that you may not be able to get access to them, so I offer some annotations:   Janet Hook, “Poll Shows America’s Divisions Growing” “Divisions in America reach far beyond Washington into the nation’s culture, economy, and social fabric, and the polarization began long before... Read more

    I’ve been reading the new book edited by Matthew J. Grow and R. Eric Smith, The Council of Fifty: What the Records Reveal about Mormon History.   It’s extremely interesting, to me at least, and there’s much to say about it.   The most recent chapter that I’ve read is Gerrit J. Dirkmaat’s “Lost Teachings of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and Other Church Leaders.”  Professor Dirkmaat is a scholar whose work I’ve very much enjoyed and have often... Read more

    A sad Mormon-related story out of New Zealand:   “Kiwi-born mum dies giving birth to triplets”   ***   A nice essay in Meridian Magazine:   “Why the Arguments of ‘New Atheism’ May Sound Familiar”   ***   I don’t think, by the way, that I’ve been pushing Meridian Magazine enough:   https://ldsmag.com   It’s a treasure trove of interesting reading.   ***   I doubt that he would like to hear me saying so, but, in this... Read more

    I have no idea how the Supreme Court will rule in this case, but I have a very strong opinion about how the Court ought to rule:   “Will the Supreme Court uphold freedom for cake artist Jack Phillips?”   Incidentally, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Phillips would also decline to decorate a cake for a Latter-day Saint temple wedding.  It’s certainly possible.  But, while I would regret that, I would regard it as his right to so... Read more

    I would like to call your attention to a lecture on Wednesday evening, 6 September 2017, that will be given in the Jordan Event Center, which is located behind the Cruise Lady office at 9112 South Redwood Road, West Jordan, Utah.  The lecture will run from 7 PM to 9 PM.   The speaker will be Hany Tawfik, and his subject will be “The Wonders of Egypt.”   Permit me to say a word about Hany:  I believe that I’ve accompanied Cruise Lady tours... Read more

    I’m very happy to announce that the Interpreter Foundation’s first filmmaking venture, Robert Cundick: A Sacred Service of Music, is now available for viewing online:   http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/now-available-for-viewingrobert-cundick-a-sacred-service-of-music/   It runs 24:36 minutes in length.   ***   The energetic Robert Boylan has posted an amusing and worthwhile piece titled “On the Alleged Clarity of Evangelical Protestant Doctrine.”   I appreciate it.   ***   You might enjoy watching this, if you haven’t already done so:   “Fifty Years of... Read more

    A short while ago, I posted a blog entry titled “Can there be any valid criticisms of the Church?”   It’s generated quite a storm of indignant criticism in certain quarters over the past hour or two, none of which seems to me to have much merit, since it’s based on a fundamental misunderstanding of my point.   Why?  Because my point was and is a simple, modest, and, properly understood, uncontroversial one.   Perhaps, of course, I’m... Read more

    I saw this title (or something like it) on a Mormon-related message board.  I haven’t yet read through the thread there, and I may not.  But I once posted something on this subject and have been attacked ever since for what I said, by people who plainly didn’t understand what I said.  So I thought, What the heck? I’ll try it again.   Yes, there can be valid criticisms of the Church.  Both of the Church as an... Read more